Tanzania captain Mbwana Samatta has described their suspended coach Adel Amrouche, as “one of us” and said he wished the squad could have him with them at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Tanzania’s football federation (TFF) sanctioned Amrouche on Friday after he was handed an eight-match ban and fined $10,000 (Sh1.6m) by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
It followed a complaint from the Moroccan federation (RMFF) to Caf about remarks made by Amrouche.
“He (Amrouche) prepared us to come to the Afcon and after the first game, he got suspended. So it’s tough, actually, for the group,” Samatta told BBC Sport Africa.
“We wish we could have him with us. But this is what happened and we cannot change that so we stay together.”
The TFF said Amrouche’s comments, made before Afcon had kicked off, criticised the RMFF’s influence over the African game.
Morocco had already beaten Tanzania 3-0 in their opening Group F match last Wednesday when Amrouche’s suspension was announced.
Hemed Suleiman was in the Taifa Stars dugout for their second game, a 1-1 draw with Zambia on Sunday, and the interim coach also gave his support to Amrouche.
“We have solidarity as coaches. You’re working together and it was our mission to come to do something in this Afcon,” he said.
Tanzania, currently bottom of Group F on one point, need a win against DR Congo in their final group game on Wednesday night (11 pm) to stand any chance of progressing to the last 16.
Samatta says despite Amrouche’s absence, he is still a big part of the team’s preparations.
The 55-year-old was appointed as Tanzania boss in March last year, leading the East Africans to Afcon by securing a point in his birth country of Algeria in their final qualifying match.
“We managed to play our game against Zambia and it didn’t break us,” former Aston Villa striker Samatta added. “We will try to make sure that we play our game and try to win our game. We still consider him with us because we cannot let him out of our team. He is one of us.”
